"Ben White has been making headlines lately, but not for the reasons Arsenal fans would want. The defender recently rejected a call-up to the England national team, and England manager Gareth Southgate didn't hold back in airing the situation publicly.
But was White actually right to turn down Southgate and the Three Lions? Here are 3 reasons why his decision might be justified:
First is the Increased Risk of Injury
With Arsenal in a tight title race and a packed fixture schedule, joining up with England would only add to White's workload and increase his chances of getting injured. It's a smart move to prioritize his club commitments.
Second, He Doesn't Play...So What's the Point?
Let's be real here, even if White was in the form of his life, he likely still wouldn't crack Southgate's starting XI. We all know the England manager has his favorites cough Maguire *cough*. Why put in the effort if you're just going to warm the bench?
Third is How England Handled It
The way Southgate publicly outed White and involved Arsenal was just unnecessary and disrespectful. If this is the culture within the England setup, can you blame a player for avoiding that?
At the end of the day, no one should be forced to play international football if they don't want to. Ben White is well within his rights to politely decline call-ups, especially with Arsenal's priorities this season.
So there you have it, three solid reasons why the defender's decision to reject Southgate might just be the right one after all." Do you think Ben White was right or wrong to turn down international duty with England?